Aston Villa slide continues with costly home defeat

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Winter may finally have blown over but it is still a chill wind that gnaws away at the fabric of Aston Villa’s challenge to the Barclays Premier League’s hegemony. For the first time in three months, they have fallen from the top four and yesterday their plight was encapsulated by the reaction of the home supporters to Gabby Agbonlahor’s substitution. When the young England striker was replaced by Nathan Delfouneso in the 79th minutes a murmur of jeers accompanied his exit.

The Erdington-born forward has become a local hero in the past three seasons, his searing pace